The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-09-17
EXCESSIVELY HONEST.

Very few negro preachers have abandoned the pulpit on account of the vanities of recent religion, or the dishonoable transactions which have been imputed to the cloth. Among the very, we may say solitary few, may be reckoned .old Gus Marcus. Mischief breeders, and they are to be found in nearly every congregation, declared that old Gus gave up the calling which he had so long pursued because his people failed to pay him adequately, but those who had most largely partaken of the old mans rigid casuistry, knew that he could no longer associate with CO., workers who, while on their way to prayer-meet- ing, marked with calculating eye the height of the chickcn-roost, and who heard, with the keen ear of interest, the turkeys sonorous gobble.
 Gus moved to town, rented a small shanty and opened vegetable store. He hung up motto, which, with almost pardonable pleonasm, declared "Widout no honesty dar ain't no man dat desarves ter prosper" and was ex- plaining it to several members of his former flock when white man en- tered, and, after looking around few moments, said:
 "By the way, left my umbrella in here this morning. It's lying over there, Hand it to me, please"
 Gus stared at hini.
 "l say, hand it to me, please"
 "Look we're, mister, l doan know yer name, but Pse gwine be perlite wid yer; so, jes' femme tell yer ter go on erbout yer bizness erfairs an doan' come 'roun' we're projickin' wid me wen Pse got erfairs ter ten ter"
 "I tell you that I left that um- brella here, and want it."
 "Oh, I knows mighty well w'ut yer tells me. De closest 'quaintances eber had ain 'cused me O bein' deef Oh, yas, l knows w'ut yer says"
 "If you don't give me that umbrella I'll go after an officer"
 "Dat's one O de rights O de 'Meri. can citizenship, sah, sot down by q, consertution an Tended by de preser. dent; but dar aim no clause in q, langwidge ter make CT pusson gin III de property dat he's dun 'cumerlated Pse had dat 'brella CT long time, sah longer den yerse'f has been able te 'dorse fur yerse'f at de banks in di town. Bought dis 'brella wid som mighty hard-'arned money. Go on mister; go on, fur Fse in CT 'scussiol wid some O mer frien's."
 The man hurriedly withdrew. Ol, Discontinued: "Dat's de way it is Dat w'ite man, eff he had been fotcl up right, mout CT been CT honest pus son, but ez it is, he gwine 'roun' d neighborhood tryin' ter cheat folk outen dar rights. tell yer, dis yer worP is goin' ter rack mighty fas' an de preachers, stead O tryin' te stop it, pear ter be smilin' on d 'formance."
 The claimant of the umbrella, ,accom panied by an officer, entered the stor,
 "Old man," said the officer, "thi gentleman claims that umbrella"
 "Yas, sah, vas, am he mout claim moon, but dat doan mean dat h gwine git it. It's my 'brella, sah bought am paid fur. I ken go al show yer war bought it-show ye de very place."
 "How long have you had it?"
 "Bout two years"
 "Must have kept it we'll"
 "I has, sah. allus takes kere O d property dat de Lawd lets me Gunner late"
 My name is R. D. Lane," said tn claimant. "Hand the umbrella her a moment"
 Old Gus began to argue, but tn officer seized the umbrella and hande, it to the claimant, who, moving sil yer slide, diselosed his name.